Focus T25: Exercise Review

The Workout For Those With No Time To Work Out

Focus T25 is a slightly easier lower-impact version of Insanity that’s been condensed into a 25-minute workout.

Our thoughts have been trimmed to 140 characters, our videos have been clipped to 10 seconds or less and now our workouts are next in line to be pared down. After all, who has time nowadays?

Meet Focus T25: one of the hottest new workouts, courtesy of hitmaker Beachbody, which is like the Disney of at-home fitness programs. They continue to pump out winners, and their latest hit is Focus T25. All it takes is a 25-minute commitment and you can get yourself in the peak physical shape you’ve been hoping for.

We all know that between YouTube, Twitter and various other internet black holes, you can burn 25 minutes without even noticing the time pass you by. Well, you can do that or you can spend those same 25 minutes burning calories with Focus T25 and becoming a better, stronger and healthier person today. The choice is yours.

What Is Focus T25?

The best way to describe Focus T25 is a slightly easier, lower-impact version of Insanity that’s been condensed into a 25-minute workout. Brought to us by Shaun T and Beachbody, who crafted Insanity, this is an intense total-body training program that pushes your cardio to the limits.

The highlight is that it’s only 25 minutes. It doesn’t require equipment and can be done from anywhere. That eliminates any possible excuse for not exercising. Don’t have an hour to spare in the gym? Don’t feel like doing a boring workout routine? Don’t want to pay an exorbitant membership fee? Well, here’s your solution.

“We recognize that people out there are busy. They don’t have a lot of time,” says Shaun T. “In fact, the No. 1 excuse people have for not exercising is they do not have time. We felt it was about time to create a workout that’s fast and that works. A program that anyone could do. That’s T25.”

You’ll find yourself doing a lot of jumps, lunges, squats and running moves. It’s an unrelenting workout, but time really flies. Before you know it, you’re done the 25 minutes, soaked in sweat and have burned big-time calories.

“It’s an intense 25 minutes — there’s no rest. You’ll be sweating and you’ll be challenged,” says Shaun T. “The goal was to condense an hour-long workout into 25 minutes, and I bet you get a better workout in those 25 minutes than with your typical gym workout.”

How Challenging Is It?

It’s very challenging. It is less extreme than Insanity, but by no means does that make it easy. It’s a jam-packed 25 minutes of cardio, total body and core work with no breaks. Even people who are in prime shape will find themselves hitting the pause button to catch their breath.

“I designed these workouts like a circuit,” says Shaun T. “It’s called focus interval training. We focus on one part of the body at a time and then move on to another part of the body, so you do get to rest that area. For example you may do a minute of lower body like a lunge, then when your legs are tired, we go to upper body for a minute, then an interval of cardio, then abs, then back to the legs. So the focus is always changing and you get to rest one part of the body while you work another part of the body.”

Focus T25 is for someone who is looking to shed some pounds and get cut.

A common complaint seems to be that workouts like Insanity or even CrossFit are too difficult. That sometimes you need to muster the willpower just to get up and do it — let alone finish it. While Focus T25 is going to test workout fiends no matter what shape they’re in, at no point does this workout feel like an insurmountable task. It’s only 25 minutes long and it’s a lot of basic moves that you’ve done before. It’s just one after another and there are no breaks, so you’re going to feel the burn.

Who Is It For?

Focus T25 is for someone who is looking to shed some pounds and get cut. With this program, it won’t take long. You’ll build a little bit of muscle doing Focus T25 but this is not a bulk-up workout. This is more about cardio, stamina and sweating it out.

“It’s for males, females, all ages, shapes, sizes and fitness levels. If you’re in great shape, you’ll love it and I promise you’ll be sweating and challenged,” say Shaun T. “You get cardio, upper body, lower body, abs, core, stretching. And there’s a modifier, so no matter what your age or fitness level, you can do this.”

If you’re new to exercise, it’s actually a fairly good entry point. Think of it as that pump class you’ve been meaning to take at the gym — only this is more intense and will make you push yourself harder. However, if you hit your limits early, you can modify until you get comfortable. When you get better, you can try to stick with Shaun T and his crew.

As for those who are more advanced in the gym, this is a great sweat prior to weightlifting. If you normally hop onto the treadmill or bike to warm up, try Focus T25 and you’ll achieve your goals much faster. “Focus T25 is the perfect workout to build your base fitness level and then progress onto any Beachbody program,” says Shaun T.

With Focus T25, you’ll get your cardio, but it also adds some resistance training to your regiment, which will add a strength component to your warm up before you get to the heavy lifting.

How Does It Compare To Other Products?

As far as the actual workouts, they’re similar to the Plyometrics workout from P90x. It’s not the same intensity as a CrossFit Workout of the Day or Insanity Asylum, but without question, you’ll be soaked in sweat by the time you’re done. It also requires a lighter commitment. While P90x, Body Combat and some other Beachbody workouts ask you to be dedicated six or seven days a week, Focus T25 has a shorter commitment of five days a week.

The main selling point of Focus T25 is that it’s 25 minutes and that makes this product unique. It’s a niche of its own and it’s hard to find a product that compares. It takes excuses like “I don’t have any time” out of the equation. While some people might not want to pay the exorbitant fees of a personal trainer and others might not have an hour to commit for spin class/weights/getting to the gym and back, those factors don’t really come into play with Focus T25 — everyone has 25 minutes.